Friday was our final day on the water and another beautiful day of cruising filled with dolphins on our bow, osprey and eagles overhead, crabbers and fisherman plying their trade, other boats transiting the waterway, all amongst bright sunny skies and delightfully calm seas. While this was one of our longest days of the trip (both in terms of miles and time), we thoroughly enjoyed the closing hours of our 1,070 mile journey. We arrived at our new home port, Cocoa Village Marina, late in the afternoon. After getting settled in, a "boat drink" or two and a celebratory dinner, we began the process of packing up and cleaning up before heading home to Orlando.
We were very fortunate not to have any major "issues" on this trip -- the boat ran exceptionally well, the engines and systems worked flawlessly, we had great weather and sea conditions (with the exception of a couple of days in North Carolina), no one got sick or was injured, and no "courtesy boardings" by the US Coast Guard or other local maritime authorities! Not that I like to measure success by what "didn't" happen, but when traveling on a boat, I've learned to count ALL my blessings!
Now that we are home (and it is good to be home), the trip becomes a wonderful memory -- not so much about what we did or the places we visited, but of sharing this time and experience together and the many rewards of life on the water.
For me, it can best be summarized in the Kenny Chesney song, "Boats".
When the sun's at his back and the wind's in his face
It's just him and the wheel
He wouldn't take a million for the way it makes him feel
Boats,
Vessels of freedom, harbors of healing
Boats.
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| The best place on earth |
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